Universal jack shaft



W. TA YOUNG Feb. 12, 1935.

UNIVERSAL JACK SHAFT Filed DeC. 16, 1935 llllllll//l/ D r mw PatentedFeb. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNIVERSAL JACK SHAFT 9Claims.

The invention relates to a countershaft adapted for use in the drillingof oil or gas wells or other applications, and so constructed that thepower from one, two or more prime movers, such as engines or motors ofany well known description, may be utilized to operatel a drilling rigand to furnish power to one or more pumps commonly known as mud hogpumps which may be located at either end of the shaft.

It is common practice in the drilling of o il wells and the like to usea very complicated and expensive transmission apparatus for distributingthe power from the engines or motors to the drilling rig and pumps. Suchapparatus are not only complicated and expensive but are very cumbersomeand heavy and difllcult to set up and move from place to place, as isrequired in the oil fields.

Furthermore, such apparatus as are now in use 2o are not sufficientlyexible in operation to permit of selectively distributing the. powerfrom one or more engines or motors to the drilling rig and pumps.

The object of the improvement is to provide a jack shaft so constructedthat the powerv from one, two or more engines or motors mais1 beselectively distributed to the drilling rig and to one or more pumps.

A further object is to provide a jack shaft oi this character which issimple in construction and of such weight that the same is easilyportable.

'Another object is to provide such a jack shaft which may be turned endfor end so that the 'pumps may be located on either side of the drillingrig, as occasion may require.

Another object is to so construct the jack shaft that the power from anyone or more of the prime movers may be applied to the drilling rig andthe power from any one or any combination 'of the prime movers may besimultaneously applied to the pumps.

A still further object of the invention is to so construct the jackshaft that the drilling rig may be operated by one prime mover at onespeed while one or more of the pumps 'may be operated by the other primemover at a different speed.

An embodiment of the invention thus set forth in general terms isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is adiagrammatic plan view showing lthe manner in which the universal jackshaft is located between the prime movers on one side (Cl. Z55-49) andthe draw works and pumps on the other side: and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the jack shaft, taken as onthe line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing. i

Although the invention may be carried out to transmit the power from twoor more prime movers, such as engines or motors, to the draw works orother drilling rig and pumps, only two engines or motors are ordinarilyprovided for this work and for the purpose of illustration, theaccompanying drawing shows an application of the jack shaft in which twointernal combustion engines are used, as indicated generally by thenumerals 10 and 11. Each ofthe engines is provided with a reverseclutchmechanism with reduction gear, indicated generally at 12, for driving,through reducing gears located in the housings 13, the shafts 14 and 15respectively, upon which are fixed the sprocket wheels 16 and 17respectively.

'I'he mechanism arranged to be driven by the engines comprises thepumps, commonly known as mud hog pumps, 18 and 19 and the drilling rigwhich may be a cable tool drilling rig or the draw works indicatedgenerally at 26, and comprising the line shaft 2l, the drum 22 drivenfrom the line shaft by the sprocket gearing 23 and the rotary table (notshown.)- arranged to be driven as by the sprocket chain 24 which passesover the sprocket 25 upon the line shaft 21 or the crank shaft on acable tool drilling rig. It should bey understood that thm draw works isillustrated conventionally and that the same does not in itself form apart of the invention and is shown merely to illustrate the applicationof the invention thereto.

The universal jack shaft to which the invention pertains may beincorporated in the draw works assembly but is preferably separatetherefrom, as illustrated in the drawing, and may be mounted upon asteel skid base as indicated generally at 26, whereby the jack shaft maybe moved independently of the draw works as well as of the engines andpumps sov that it may be placed in the desired position between theengines f and the draw works and pumps. l

The jack shaft assembly includes the shaft 2'! upon which are journaledthe sleeves 28 and. 29 slightly spaced from each other and located uponone end portion of. the shaft, bearings 30 and 31 respectively carriedby the skid base 26 supporting said sleeves while the other end portionof the shaft may be journaled in a bearing 32 also carried by the skidbase.

'Ihe sleeve 28 may be journaled upon the shaft 27 as by the bushings 33and the sleeve 29 is journaled thereon as by the bushings 34. A sprocketwheel 35 is fixed upon one end portion of the sleeve 28 as by the key 36and is connected to the sprocket wheel 17 of the engine 10 as by thechain 37. As shown in Fig. 2, a similar sprocket wheel 38 maybe fixedupon the opposite end portion of the sleeve 29 as by the key 39 and isconnected to the sprocket wheel 16 of the engine 11 as by the chain 40.

A clutch memberl 41 is slidably mounted upon the-end portion of theshaft 27 adjacent to the sprocket 35, as by means of the key 42, a stopcollar 43 upon the end of the shaft limiting the movement of the clutchin that direction. This clutch member, as well as all of the clutchmembers later referred to. may be of any usual and well known type ofclutch, and although all of these members are shown as jaw clutches, itshould be understood that this is merely for the purpose ofillustration.

Clutch jaws 44 upon the clutch member 41 are adapted to engage withcorresponding clutch jaws 45 upon the adjacent end of the hub of thesprocket 35 so that when the clutch 41 is slidably moved into engagementwith said sprocket, the shaft 27 will be rotated by means of the engine10. It will be seen that at all times when the engine 10 is operating,the sleeve 28 will be rotated thereby.

A sprocket wheel 46 is journaled upon the end portion of the sleeve 29opposite to the sprocket 38, as by a bushing 47 and is held againstlongitudinal movement on said sleeve as by the collars 48. Clutch jaws49 and 50 are provided upon opposite ends of the hub of the sprocketwheel 46 for respective engagement with similar clutch jaws upon thesliding clutch members 51 and 52.

The clutch member 51 is slidably keyed upo the end portion of the sleeve28 adjacent to the sprocket wheel 46 and the clutch member 52 isslidably keyed upon the sleeve 29 between the bearing 31 and thesprocket wheel 46. e

The sprocket wheel 46 is connected as by th chain 53 with a sprocketwheel 54 fixed upon the line shaft 21 of the draw4 works. It will thusbe seen that when the clutch 51 is engaged with the sprocket wheel 46,the draw works will be driven by the engine 10 and when the clutch 52 isengaged with the sprocket 46 the draw works will be driven by the engine1l. If both of the clutches 51 and 52 are engaged with the sprocketwheelv 46, then the draw works will be driven by both engines.

A clutch member 55 is slidably keyed upon the shaft 27 adjacent to thesprocket wheel 38 and provided with clutch jaws 56 adapted to engagesimilar clutch jaws 57 upon the adjacent end of the hub of the sprocketwheel 38.l A stop collar 58 is fixed upon the shaft 27 to limit themovement of the sliding clutch member 55 in a direction away from thesprocket wheel 38. When the clutch member 55 is engaged with thesprocket wheel 38, it will be seen that the shaft 27 is driven by theengine l1, independently of and at a different speed than the engine 10.y

'Ihe sprocket wheels 59 and 60 are journaled upon the shaft 27 as by thebushings 61 and 62 respectively and may be held against -longitudinalmovement on vthe shaft as by the stop collars 63 and 64 respectively. Aclutch member 65 is Slidably keyed upon the shaft 27 adjacent to thesprocket wheel 59 and provided with the clutch jaws 66 adapted to engagecorresponding clutch Jaws 67 upon the sprocket wheel 59. The sprocketwheel 59 is connected. as by the chain 68 with the sprocket wheel 69upon the pump 18 and the sprocket wheel 60 is similarly connected as bythe chain 70 with the sprocket wheel 71 upon the pump 19.

A clutch member 72 is slidably keyed upon the end portion of the shaft27 adjacent to the sprocket wheel 60 and the movement thereof is4limited as by the stop collar 73 upon the end of the shaft 27. Thisclutch member is provided with jaws 74 adapted to engage similar jaws 75upon the hub of the sprocket wheel 60. By engaging the clutch with thesprocket wheel 59, it will be seen that this sprocket wheel isoperatively connected to the shaft 27 and the pump 18 will be driven bywhichever one of the engines 10 or 11 is operatively connected to theshaft as by the clutches 41 or 55. In the same manner, the clutch 72will operatively connect the sprocket wheel 60 to the shaft 27 so thatthe pump 19 may be driven by whichever of the engines is operativelyconnected to the shaft 27. It will be seen that the pumps may be locatedupon either side of the jack shaft as may be required, as indicated bythe broken line position of the pump 19 in Fig. 1.

I claim:

1. In combination with a plurality of prime movers operable at differentrelative speeds, a

drilling rig and a pump, a jack shaft, means forA operatively connectingthe prime movers, drilling rig and pump to the jack shaft, and meansupon the jack shaft for selectively distributing the power from one ormore of the prime movers to the drilling rig and pump whereby any one ofthe prime movers may drive the drilling rig while any other prime moversimultaneously drives the pump. c

2. In combination with a plurality of prime movers operable at differentrelative speeds, a drilling rig and a pump. a jack shaft, means foroperatively connecting the prime movers, drilling rig and pump to thejack shaft, and means upon the jack shaft for selectively driving thedrilling rig by any one or more of the prime movers and forsimultaneously selectively driving the pump by any other one or more ofthe prime movers.

3. In combination with a `plurality of prime movers operable atdifferent relative speeds, a drilling rig and a plurality of pumps, ajack shaft, means for operatively connecting the prime movers, thedrilling rig and the pumps to the jack shaft, and means upon the jackshaft for selectively driving the drilling rig by any one or more of theprime movers, and for simultaneously selectively driving any one or moreof the pumps by any'other one or more of the prime movers.

4. In combination with a plurality of prime movers operable at differentrelative speeds, a drilling rig and a pump, a jack shaft, means foroperatively connecting the prime movers, drilling rig and pump to thejack shaft, and a plurality of clutches upon the jack shaft forselectively distributing the power from one or more of the prime moversto the drilling rlg and pump whereby any one of the prime movers maydrive the drilling rig while any other prime mover simultaneously drivesthe pump.

5. In combination with a plurality of prime movers operable at differentrelative speeds, a drilling rig and a pump,l a jack shaft, means foroperatively connecting the prime movers, drilling rig and pump to thejack shaft, and a plurality of clutches upon the jack shaft foxlselectively driving the drilling rig by any one or more of the primemovers and for simultaneously selectively driving the pump by any otherone or more of the prime movers.

6. In combination with a plurality of prime movers operable at differentrelative speeds, a drilling rig and a plurality of pumps, a jack shaft,means for operatively connecting the prime movers, the drilling rig andthe pumps to the jack shaft, and a plurality of clutches upon the jackshaft for selectively driving the drilling rig by any one or more of theprime movers and for simultaneously selectively driving any one or moreof the pumps by any other one or more of the prime movers.

7. In combination with a plurality of prime movers operable at differentrelative speeds, a drilling rig and a plurality of pumps, a jack shaft,means for operatively connecting the prime movers, the drilling rig andthe pumps to the jack shafts, and a plurality of rotatable sleeves andclutch members upon the jack shaft for selectively driving the drillingrig by any one or more of the prime movers and for simultaneouslyselectively driving any one or more of the pumps by any other one ormore of the prime movers.

8. In combination with a plurality of prime movers, a drilling rig and aplurality o1 pumps, a jack shaft, a sprocket wheel normally rotatableupon the jack shaft and operatively connected to each prime mover, asprocket wheel normally rotatable upon the jack shaft and operativelyconnected to the drilling rig, and a sprocket wheel normally rotatableupon the jack shaft and operatively connected to each pump, and clutchmeans upon the jack shaft for engagement with said sprocket wheels foroperatively connecting the drilling rig to any one or more of the primemovers and for operatively connecting any one or more of the pumps toany one or more of the prime movers.

9. In combination with a plurality of prime movers operable at differentrelative speeds, a drilling rig and a pump, a jack shaft, means foroperatively connecting the prime movers, the drilling rig and the pumpto the jack shaft, and means upon the jack shaft for selectively drivingthe drilling rig by either one of the prime movers, and forsimultaneously selectively driving the pump at a different speed byanother of the prime movers.

WILLIAM T. YOUNG.

